Overall, the goal of the cooperative extension program in selected texas counties is to ensure that our underserved communities and underrepresented families have greater access to the types of…

Overall, the goal of the cooperative extension program in selected texas counties is to ensure that our underserved communities and underrepresented families have greater access to the types of research, educational, and outreach services they need to solve everyday problems and issues. Therefore, our planned outreach activities are designed to promote quality of life, address climate change and food security, strengthen communities and foster leadership development. Given the targeted audience that encompasses various ethnic groups, religions, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, the outreach methods used to address the identified needs are client-focused and culturally sensitive. The combined network of professional educators, trained volunteers and local offices will enable collaborative programs to support the following critical issues for texans: environmental management: focus on advancing scientific understanding and providing education and knowledge in managing natural resources and environmental systems using innovative technologies, laboratory and field experiments, numerical modeling, big data analysis, and best management practices. Healthy lifestyles: the prevalence and reduction of chronic illness and disease are the focus of health and wellness programming. Address the many health issues and lifestyles that are exacerbated by poverty, poor nutrition, unhealthy environments, and inactivity. Disaster management & outreach: understand and address disaster issues that impact underserved populations. Pertinent issues include refining strategies, addressing health disparities, training, and nurturing collaborative partnerships. Training will target disaster victims (individuals and families), agencies, universities, and political leaders. Fostering strong families: parenting, though still one of the most underrated jobs in the community, is beginning to attract some of the attention and consideration IT deserves. Financial management provides educational and technical information to limited-resource families to strengthen family systems and resiliency through information to understand how individuals and families obtain and use time, money, and human capital to achieve their standard of living and overall quality of life. Food safety and education: to ensure food safety, an understanding of the complete food chain is essential. Extension personnel will provide educational information about the importance of food safety and the relationship be tween basic sanitation practices when handling food, reducing waste, and conserving nutrients to prevent foodborne illness. Community, resource, and economic development: increase entrepreneurship opportunities through small business training and consulting. Provide education on entrepreneurship, sustainable housing, disaster response, programs for limited resource individuals, asset and wealth building, saving and investing, credit building, debt management, and budgeting. Develop and implement programs that address rural prosperity in economic development, technical innovation, improved quality of life, support of a rural workforce, and E-connectivity for rural america. Preparing youth for life and work: youth and their adult leaders are empowered to take actions that promote health, develop positive social relationships, and contribute to society. Participants will develop various life skills (leadership, livelihood, cognitive, interpersonal, etc.). This is accomplished primarily in three content areas: civic engagement, healthy living, and science. In 2022-2026, CEP will prepare youth to be productive, positive, and equipped with life skills to build local economic development capacity in texas communities. In 2022-2026, CEP will continue to support cafnr and university-wide outreach efforts such as health initiatives, disaster management, small farm institute program, and farmers market and expand access to extension education, knowledge, and resources.